To go a bit further in this. Yes, it's a positive we created opportunities that led to penalty kicks. It's even more positive that we scored these and it resulted in a win. One of the ongoing critiques of the team as I mentioned above (and several MLS commentators have also mentioned) has been it's inability to finish. Yes, penalty kicks count as goals. However, it would also be foolish to allow the penalty kick goals to gloss over the larger issue that has haunted us for over a year now, the inability to finish. We won't have Ted Unkel and his glorious knee bend and point reffing every game.
I certainly think there is evidence of this. Especially the one you bring up, 7 transfers in 11 years. He really averages less than 1 1/2 seasons at any place, which is about what the Crew had him for. His only stint longer than 2 years was KC, which did have him for 4.
Do you actually know this to be true? Pipa has taken by far the largest share of PKs since he arrived. All evidence points to him being the designated PK taker. You know this how? My point was that you were making assumptions and asserting them as fact while insulting anyone who doesn't agree with you. I wasn't even arguing that you were wrong. This is not a fact. I will agree with you that I don't think Pipa is a great PK taker (Mendoza and GBS were). But Kei hasn't been any better over his career. You seem to be contradicting yourself here. But maybe it's just me.
WHAT!?! Santa still fills my stocking every year. Who do you think does that? Parents couldn't do all that in one night.
So taking out 4 yrs at KC...It's been 6 transfers in 7 yrs. Yah it was Higuain's fault and GGG made a bad decision to rid the team of Kei. It's all starting to sink in and make so much sense now. Good thing we have guys like Hang and TruDub around here to set us all straight. Why O' why did I just contribute to the continuance of the nonsensical discussion? Why can't I just let it die a slow painful death? Why do I and other keep breathing one more breath of air into it? Another of life's mysteries I suppose.
I agree. A striker that scores more goals from the run of play is definitely more desirable than one that scores the majority from the penalty spot.
Genuine question here, cause I don't know the answer. Is there any place where Kei is public enemy #1 of as large a section of the fanbase he left behind as he was (still is?) in Columbus. We're talking about a guy who had the second highest goal scoring total in a single season in team history. He's the team record holder for the most game winning goals in a season. He was an MVP candidate. He provided our only moment of fleeting joy and hope in MLS Cup 2015. He was an MLS Humanatarian of the Year Award winner in Columbus. Leading up to MLS Cup 2015 there was outrage that Kei wasn't MVP. The most shared article Crew related social media was an SI article about his escape from Sierra Leone. Everything was about what a great guy Kei was and how it was great to have him back in Columbus scoring goals. 5 months, 1 contract dispute, and one pk skiffle later Kei is a pariah, a locker room cancer, and we're thrilled to trade him for pennies on the dollar. Yes he's been transferred a lot. It also means he has enough talent that other team have wanted him too. He accomplished more here than many (all?) of his stops, yet is probably most hated here. The only possible comparison I can think of in American sports where a fanbase turned on a player like that was Terrell Owens in Philadelphia. And really most Eagles fans are insufferable drunks who in their rarest moment of lucidity would tell you they wished he was still around. It's a fascinating case study of tribalism and mob mentality.
For the record, I don't hate Kei. I'm glad to have been through the 2015 season and was thrilled with him as a squad member, MVP, and striker. I'm also OK with us having traded him after the trade contract dispute, lack of production (not just on him!), and public teammate dispute. I hope you're not lumping me in to the "fanbase" that sees him as "public enemy #1." It is possible to appreciate his time here, but also accept that it was time for him to go. I don't read ANYONE in this debate calling him "public enemy #1" or really even demonizing him. On the other hand, we are having a circular debate about whether the trade should have happened, whether we should still have Pipa on the squad, and if Berhalter made the right choice. This (tiring) debate is so well-treaded now that I'm not sure we have any new ground to cover. But, you saying that anyone here has made him out to be "public enemy #1" is completely hyperbolic and disingenuous.
Woah, totally uncalled for! How dare you lump us drunks in with those asshole Philadelphia Eagles fans? Repent! Seriously, I think you answered your question (though I disagree with the sentiment that "Kei is public enemy #1): the contract dispute, PK incident, and public defiance of Gigi left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. That being said, I believe it's possible to separate the sporting figure from the public person. Clearly, he is very fan friendly and open to interacting with the public, and his humanitarian work speaks for itself. However, I get that people could see him as acting selfishly or like a prick on the field. I'd equate Kei to Hines Ward. In my opinion, he was one of the dirtiest, most miserable players on the field, but I don't get the impression that he's a bad hombre once the pads come off.
I don't truly get sense anyone here hates Kei. I think most people will tell you he is a great guy off the field. Certainly always entertaining. You also can't deny the season he had here and his ability to score in the past. I haven't read many posts contrary to that.
OK. Now you're spittin' out fightin' words. DON'T EVER speak harshly of #86. Dirty? Miserable? I honestly have never heard anyone other than a Browns, Bengals or Ravens fan make such a blasphemous suggestion (I'm inferring you fall into one of those buckets - no?). You take those words back right now Mister!
People don't hate Kei. They hate the annoying fan boys on bigsoccer that praise him. Just like tRR fan boys when he was in Columbus.
I'm not completely sure that's the case. Last season, I think the games the fans wanted to win most were against New England to stick it to Kei. Those games had more juice than any game vs Toronto, DC, or Portland. (Though to be fair, almost no game last season had any juice). The man was booed every time he touched the ball. He faced more jeers than Eric Gehrig jogging down the street. Public enemy #1, maybe slightly hypbolic, very slightly. But he was definitely went from hero to hated in a flash.
Despite their poor take on pizza, Chicago's a great place, lived there for 5 years. At least you'll be in a city without a rival team now!
Don't forget with KC, in the middle of that he went on loan to Norwich, he didn't want to make the move permanent, so he came back.
That's kinda the point I was making - some think so highly of Kei that they'd say such ludicrous things and be serious about it.
There's no evidence of jealousy in any other actions Pipa's taken through the years he's been with the team.
Watch those 2015 games again , Pipa didn't like Kei watch all our goals and the players . He is not friendly and outgoing and I just don't like Pipa and his attitude and actions.